News

Touro Student Volunteers to Provide Tax Help

Touro Law Center Named a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site, Students Volunteer to Provide Assistance to Community MembersFebruary 16, 2010

Central Islip, NY – Approximately 25 Touro Law students have volunteered to participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Through this public service project, sponsored by the United States Internal Revenue Service, students are trained as volunteers to offer free tax help to low- to moderate-income community members who cannot prepare their own tax returns. This year, Touro Law Center is a VITA site, allowing students to work with community members and file tax returns directly from the law school. The program is being overseen by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Touro Law’s VITA office, located in the William Randolph Hearst Public Advocacy Center on the second floor of the law school, will open in February and remain open until the filing deadline in April. Residents interested in having Touro students help them with taxes are asked to bring: photo identification; social security cards for individuals, spouses and family members; current year’s tax package if you received one, wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers; interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099); a copy of last year’s Federal and State returns if available; bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit; total paid for day care; day care providers identifying number. Please note: to file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present."Our students are truly dedicated to helping community members,” said Thomas Maligno, Director of Public Interest and Executive Director of the William Randolph Hearst Public Advocacy Center at Touro Law. “This program provides them the opportunity to make a difference in the community while learning the tax system and honing their abilities in counseling clients. It’s truly a great program."For additional information, please contact (631) 761-7198.

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Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center has a new 185,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art law campus adjacent to and working with a state and a federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. Touro’s new campus provides a one-of-a kind learning model for law students, combining a rigorous curriculum taught by expert faculty with a practical courtroom experience. Touro, which has a student body of approximately 750 and an alumni base of nearly 5,000, offers full- and part-time J.D. programs as well as graduate law programs.